Railways unions oppose private investment in Red Line

By The Nation

 

Photo Credit: Nation Photo by Tatchadon Panyaphanitkul

 

Railway unions have opposed a public-private partnership (PPP) plan to construct Red Line links from Bang Sue to Rangsit and Bang Sue to Taling Chan. The decision to open up Red Line construction and operation to private investors was approved last week by the State Railway of Thailand.

 

The State Railway Workers Union of Thailand (SRUT) and State Enterprise Electrified Train Workers' Union (SEETU) today held a press conference to oppose the plan, which they said would delay the project.

 

SRUT president Sawit Kaewvarn and SEETU president Chitphol Promdontree said that State Railway of Thailand staff could operate Red Line trains and get the service up and running in 2021, as planned.

 

"There is no need to postpone the opening of train services, because it will not benefit anyone in the country," they said.

 

"To ensure that construction does not disrupt the planned opening date, the government should allow SEETU to operate and maintain trains in this project for the benefit of the country and people."

 

They added that the State Enterprise Policy Committee resolved on May 15,2019, to appoint the SEETU to operate and maintain the trains in the Red Line projects.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391698

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-21

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Scared because harder to fleece the private companies 

There's a difference between constructing railways lines and operating and maintaining trains.

 

Is there a disconnect in the story or in the unions?

1 hour ago, Foghorn said:

Scared because harder to fleece the private companies 

Too many fingers in the pie... 

If the line is run along capitalist ideals with private investment then it will be expected to be managed efficiently and effectively, to turn a nominal profit and the employees will be required to do some actual work. That model is of course anathema to unions and lefties in general.

12 minutes ago, UnkleGoooose said:

If the line is run along capitalist ideals with private investment then it will be expected to be managed efficiently and effectively, to turn a nominal profit and the employees will be required to do some actual work. That model is of course anathema to unions and lefties in general.

That's worked out really well for the UK hasn't it?

Works well at Amtrak in the USA too.